Redemption
by TheJiffyLube6
Summary: This story takes place after the season one finale. Betty keeps her promise to continue looking for Kate...no matter what. Now that she has found her, what will happen to the relationship they once had? Kate must battle her conflicting thoughts to reconcile her faith and her growing feelings for the blonde woman, while Betty struggles with a life she never chose.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own the show Bomb Girls nor any of its characters._

**I just finished watching the entire first season of this show and I am now addicted. I live in the US so I haven't been able to watch any of the second season, but the season 1 finale left me inspired enough to write this. I read every review I receive so please let me know if you like it and if I should continue!**

* * *

_He will surely kill me this time… God, please…just let me die… _Kate begged as the familiar burning in her lungs intensified. The edges of her vision were beginning to darken and she just wanted it all to stop.

Her father was crushing her windpipe in his fist, forcing her mouth open in a silent scream. The rush of water flooded into her throat and filled her lungs, but Kate didn't get her wish this time. Instead, Vernon Rowley yanked her head back above the water and she sputtered at the sudden plentiful supply of oxygen.

"God has given you a second chance, Marion…," his voice was low and gravelly, etched with a thinly veiled threat that Kate knew all too well. He didn't have to tell her what would happen if she stepped one toe off the straight and narrow.

When she had come home, Kate had known that the abuse would continue, but her mother had passed away almost as soon as she returned, causing the violence to escalate even further. Her mother had been her only ally here and Kate missed her terribly, but her father wouldn't allow her to speak of her without being severly punished for it. The only time she could safely mourn her was at night, alone in bed where she often cried herself to sleep.

Of course her father blamed Kate for his wife's death and punished her frequently for even the smallest of infractions, claiming those sins were what caused God to take away her mother. Alone at night, sometimes she couldn't help but agree with him.

Her father gave her one last burning glare before leaving Kate alone in the washroom still gasping for much needed air.

Wanting to get out of the water as quickly as possible, Kate slipped her leg over the edge and slid to the tiled floor, leaning against the tub in exhaustion. She let her eyes drift closed as her breathing began to return to a normal tempo.

Shaking uncontrollably, Kate's thoughts drifted, as they often did, to how she had gotten herself back into this situation.

She had come back home because she honestly wanted to be punished for her sinful ways. She was terrified of who she was turning into. She helped build bombs to kill people, she used God's gift to sing impure songs, had lurid photographs taken, and worst of all… Betty.

The usual pain shot through her heart at the thought of the blonde woman who had befriended her back in Toronto. Kate let her face fall into her hands as she remembered the hurt look on Betty's face as she pushed her away when they kissed.

_No! She kissed me!_ Kate corrected in her mind, trying to erase the feeling of those lips from her memory.

That was really the instance that she knew she needed to come home. Of course she had been worried about her mother's health, but the feelings she was having for Betty were unnatural. Kate had convinced herself that she had been seduced by the blonde woman, but the truth was that all Betty had done was act on her feelings. Kate had chosen freely to spend her time with the blonde, knowing full well that she wasn't like the other girls. Truthfully, that's what Kate liked about Betty.

What really scared her was that she truly enjoyed Betty's company even if she was a deviant. Everything Kate had ever been taught about homosexuals was that they were perverts and would burn for their sinful behavior.

Yet… after all her time spent with Betty… it didn't feel wrong. When she was a little girl her mother would tell Kate that she could always tell when something is immoral by the way it feels in her heart. God would pull at her heart strings to remind her that what she is doing is sinful. Not once in all the time she was around Betty did she have that feeling. Not even when Betty kissed her.

Not to mention, after working so hard to escape her father and everything her mother had done to help her do it, Kate couldn't help but feel she had betrayed her mother coming back here. That immoral feeling in her gut was telling her that she didn't deserve to be treated this way. But every time she had these thoughts, Kate reminded herself that she was a sinner and her father was being noble in trying to salvage her immortal soul.

Kate still couldn't help but think that Betty didn't seem like a bad person. In fact, she was a strong, hard working woman who was forgiving. Kate could remember her first day when she dropped the amatol can and instead of firing her on the spot, Betty gave her another chance. After that Betty became a good friend who looked out for her and many nights were spent staying up just talking.

Beginning to shiver from the cold of her soaking wet clothes, Kate pushed these dark and conflicting thoughts from her mind and lifted herself up from the floor.

* * *

She could feel the stares. How could she not? Her secret was out to almost all of the girls at Victory Munitions and now their barely concealed gossip could be heard throughout the factory. Betty flicked the butt of her cigarette to the ground, eyeing the twittering women around her until they came to rest on a familiar brunette approaching her.

"Hey, you look your usual miserable self," Gladys greeted with a smarmy smile directed at the blonde woman.

"Lay off, Princess. I'm not in the mood," Betty replied, noticing how the other women were eyeing them before beginning to line up to enter the factory. Vera and Edith were heading towards them as well and Betty sighed in relief seeing more friendly faces. Ever since… the incident… at the boarding house, rumors had spread like wildfire, but some of the girls paid no mind to the talk around Vic Mu to which Betty was infinitely grateful.

There was no point in hiding it anymore, not now that Kate was gone. The girls whispered about the bruise on her face when she returned the next day and it was all over from there. No one but Gladys, Vera, Edith, Mrs. Corbett, Leon, and Marco would speak to her with a kind word. Everyone else treated her like she had some kind of disease and if they got too close to her they would catch it too. Betty kept up her rough façade but the talk was really starting to get to her.

The men at Vic Mu were the worst and would say awful and disgusting things to her when Mrs. Corbett wasn't around, causing the other women to snicker in response. Shower time at the end of shift was just as terrible. No one would shower with her, except the few women still on her side. Betty could tell though that Edith was slightly uncomfortable taking a shower next to her, but she did it anyway. The only person who completely accepted her was Gladys and Betty couldn't thank her enough for her friendship.

There was no relief when shift was over either because all of the women in the boarding house knew about her too. All of her friends had abandoned her and there were more than a few nights where she would spend the night alone drinking in the darkness of her room. She almost had enough money to buy her a little house like the one in that recruiting film she had been in. Then she could live alone and nobody would bother her.

Betty lined up beside Gladys and Edith and Vera and joined in their pre-shift banter while Mrs. Corbett signed them in for the day. Gladys turned to her after Vera and Edith began a side conversation and whispered,

"I found her, Betts."

Betty's heart stopped and her breathing became shallow. Had she just heard her right?

"What? How?" Betty hissed, glancing quickly around to see if anyone was listening in on their conversation. They both moved forward with the line, getting ever closer to Mrs. Corbett and time for shift.

"I'll explain everything later…," Gladys told her in a hushed whisper as they walked in to the factory.

Betty's thoughts were racing as she and the other girls got dressed for that day's shift, their wary eyes watching her as they changed into their white jumpsuits.

She and Gladys had made a promise to each other that they were going to keep looking for Kate if Betty helped Gladys get her job back and they had both upheld their end of the bargain.

Betty had somehow miraculously convinced Mrs. Corbett to sercretly hire Gladys back and now they had both committed to looking for Kate.

Betty had spent almost every waking moment not at work flipping through directories and calling operators in towns across Canada, but to no avail. No where she called had heard of a Marion Rowley and Betty was beginning to lose hope after months of searching.

The blue shift workers stepped out onto the floor and took the places of the green shift women and began work on the line. All the while Betty thought about the possibility of finding Kate. As much as Kate had hurt her, Betty couldn't let her stay with that evil man who called himself a father.

She could remember Kate's first day of work at Vic Mu and seeing the scars all over the red head's pale back in the showers. Anger rose in her throat at the thought of how Kate got those scars and the man who gave them to her. Now she was back with her father and Gladys actually knew where she was.

Now that it finally seemed real and like she would see Kate again, Betty all of a sudden felt terrified. Of course she was going to help the other woman, but she was sure that Kate wouldn't want to see her. Part of her was afraid to see her too.

_She called me disgusting_… Betty reminded herself as she poured the amatol into the twenty-five pounder shells. Shaking her head, this was not the time to be distracted by these self-deprecating thoughts.

The shift finally came to an end and the red shift workers took their places. Betty and Gladys hadn't said much all day, each lost in thought. They made their way to the showers and the women that were there glared at her and vacated the room quickly with their towels wrapped tightly around themselves. Gladys stepped confidently right into the showers along with Edith and Betty followed hesitantly behind.

"I can wait if you want," Betty muttered, not in her usually confident way, but Gladys would hear none of it.

"Nonsense," the wealthy brunette waved her in and Betty gave her an appreciative smile.

They finished up, dressed, and began walking away from the factory when Betty couldn't wait anymore.

"So…spill," Betty demanded as they walked, grabbing Gladys' sleeve at the elbow.

"I didn't want to tell you but… I hired an investigator," the brunette told her in a hushed, conspiratorial tone. Betty's eyes snapped to hers. She had no idea you could do that and the price that must cost…

"And?" Betty urged anxiously, wanting to know if this was real.

"And he found where Vernon Rowley, his daughter Marion Rowley, and his two sons live. It's a quick car ride. We could take James' car and be there and back before supper…," the excitement in Gladys' voice was apparent and Betty could feel her own heart begin to race.

They reached the bus stop as their usual bus approached and Betty looked straight into Gladys' dark eyes.

"Tonight?" it wasn't really a question and Betty could see Gladys nodding her affirmation already before she replied,

"Tonight."

* * *

After a long day of doing chores, Kate headed to her room to freshen up a little before she had to make her father and brothers dinner. Her back smarted a bit from a beating earlier in the week but she continued looking through her drawer for presentable clean clothes. Eventually she found what she was looking for in a modest dress, as she pulled it out she felt something poke her fingers. Glancing into her drawer, Kate could see exactly what it was.

It was the hair comb Betty had given her. A wave of pain shot through her at the memory of the blonde woman giving this to her.

Without really thinking about it she began to sing one of her favorite songs. The one she had sung to Betty at Tangiers all those weeks ago…

"_I wished on the moon,_

_ for something I never knew" _

Memories of Betty filled her mind against her will. One in particular brought a smile as she sang; the night she and Betty danced together, carefree.

_"Wished on the moon, for more than I ever knew,"_ Kate sang as she slipped the hair comb into her auburn curls, remembering Betty's trademark smirk as she sung this on stage with Leon.

A voice behind her scared her out of her reverie and turned her blood to ice.

"Oh, daughter of mine… how you disgrace God's gift with that devil music," Vernon Rowley reprimanded her with an eerily calm tone. Kate shot around and backed as far away from her father as she could in the small room.

"I'm sorry father…I…I was just singing," Kate stuttered, already knowing what was coming. How could she be so foolish?

Her father swiftly approached and grabbed her arm roughly, but paused when he noticed the comb in her hair.

"What is this? You know full well vanity is for whores and sinners, Marion," he yanked the comb out of her hair, tossing it to the ground before unclipping his belt buckle.

"Father, please!" Kate begged, trying to pull away from him, but he already had his belt off in one swift motion.

"You must be punished, daughter. It is for your own good," he claimed calmly, raising the belt above his head and bringing it down as hard as he could on her back.

Kate cried out in pain as the leather belt cut into the skin of her back, tears sprang to her eyes. The belt came down hard across her back and again and again, shredding already torn flesh. Kate could feel the blood trickling through her tattered dress, but she soon became numb. Too weak to stand, she allowed herself to fall to her knees.

Was this really what God wanted for her? That immoral feeling that her mother used to tell her about crept up into her throat. Kate could no longer believe that she deserved to be punished for using God's gifts or trying to be happy. Defiance was rising in her as her father continued the beating.

Eventually, she could vaguely hear feet running up the stairs of the trailer and then suddenly the beating stopped.

* * *

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Betty asked as they stood in front of a rundown looking shack of a house. The thought that Kate lived in a place like this made her home in the plains of Saskatchewan look like a palace.

"This is the address the investigator gave me," Gladys replied, eyeing the house with uncertainty. Betty opened her mouth to make a snarky comment when she heard the distinct sound of someone screaming in pain.

"Kate…," Betty didn't wait another second, she rushed up the stairs to the door of the trailer to find it unlocked. Gladys followed closely behind her, but Betty hardly noticed because she was already sprinting into the trailer.

Pausing only to strain her ears for any tell tale sounds, Betty looked from room to room until she heard a chilling sound: leather whipping against skin.

"Betty!" Gladys hissed to her, but it was too late. The blonde woman was already racing through the trailer. All she could see was red and she didn't need another excuse to sock Kate's father right in the kisser.

It didn't take long to find them and it was everything she feared and more. When Betty entered the room Vernon had the belt high above his head, but he paused to look at her incredulously. He continued to hold Kate in a vice-like grip while she cowered in pain on the floor.

"Get…your…paws…off…her…..now," Betty practically growled at the preacher, who had lowered his arm. Gladys appeared behind her and froze in shock before glaring angrily at the man before her.

"She is my daughter and I must punish her for the deviance you seduced her with," he replied getting over his shock at seeing them and raising the belt once more. Betty wasn't going to let this man hurt Kate ever again, no matter what. So, she did something she had dreamed of doing for a long time… she pulled her arm back and socked him square in the chin.

He stumbled backwards, releasing Kate in the process. Leaning against the far wall he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, looking at the blood there before turning on the blonde woman. As he approached her she wasn't afraid because now that his attention was on her it gave Gladys the opportunity to slip past and help Kate.

"You will not corrupt my daughter again," Kate's father warned before charging her with surprising speed. Betty hadn't been expecting such a bold move so he was able to wrap both hands around her throat and shove her against the wall violently.

The force of it knocked the wind out her and caused her to see stars, but she could still see Gladys helping Kate to her feet so she had to keep him distracted as long as possible.

Betty mustered her strength and kneed him soundly in the groin, forcing him to loosen his grip on her neck. He doubled over in pain giving her the opportunity to punch him in the nose, knocking him to the floor.

Thinking she had bought them enough time to escape, Betty turned to help Gladys get Kate out of there. Gladys had managed to get Kate up and halfway to the door, but Betty couldn't help but see the blood dripping from the back of her torn dress.

Shedding her jacket, Betty quickly threw it over Kate's shoulders and pulled it tightly around her.

"Are you okay?" Betty asked, gently tilting Kate's chin up to look into her eyes.

"No homosexual will pervert my daughter," Betty turned to respond to the preacher when the buckle part of his belt crashed into the side of her face, knocking her to the ground in pain.

"Leave her alone!" the blonde could hear Kate's angry voice and squinted through the searing pain in her forehead to see the auburn haired woman shove her father back to the ground.

Kate and Gladys lifted Betty to her feet and they all ran as fast as they could out of the trailer and down the stairs. Betty could hear Vernon struggling to get up, but she didn't make the mistake of looking back this time.

James' car was waiting where she and Gladys had left it and despite the pain in her head, Betty made sure Kate was in first before throwing herself in beside her.

Gladys could see Vernon bust out of his front door and she rushed to get the car started. The preacher spotted them and sprinted towards the car as Gladys hit the gas. He raced behind them before the wealthy brunette sped away, leaving the preacher in the distance.

* * *

**That's it for chapter 1. Please let me know what you think and if it's worth it to continue! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own the show Bomb Girls nor any of its characters._

**I shall continue! Special thanks to Charmed Lassie for being my first reviewer! Here I go!**

* * *

They had made it…Kate had escaped her father once again….

She remained where she had landed in the car, splayed across the passenger seat with her head resting awkwardly against the seat. Her chest rose and fell heavily as she struggled to catch her breath.

She still couldn't wrap around her mind around everything. It had all happened so fast. It seemed like one minute she was singing in her bedroom and now she was here in the passenger seat of James' Jaguar.

In the rush of getting into the car, Betty had had to cram herself into the passenger seat with her but was attempting to give her as much space as possible. The auburn haired woman allowed herself to take in Betty's appearance while Gladys slowed the car to a safe and legal speed.

She had pictured Betty's face every day since she had left with her father. Each time was more painful than the last as she remembered the devastation she had ravaged on the blonde woman. Now that she had a moment she could really look at her and rememorize everything she had missed the last few months.

Betty was slumped back against the leather seat with her eyes closed, obviously just as exhausted from their getaway as she was. She was wearing her usual red blouse and khaki trousers, but her jacket was missing. Then she remembered Betty had given it to her, tugging the blonde's well worn jacket tighter around herself. Her blonde curls were mostly intact but currently fell across her peaceful-looking face partially obstructing Kate's view.

Kate's eyes eventually fell on the raised welt just above Betty's eye and she was assaulted with the image of her father whipping the blonde woman with the buckle part of his belt. The idea of Betty being hurt or in pain ate at her and caused her to have that feeling again. The same one she had felt when Betty was hit with the shells after Vera panicked on the stencil line. The same one that tore at her when her father had hit Betty when she was leaving the boarding house.

_No one deserved to be treated that way… especially not Betty. _That realization gave Kate pause for a moment. But, Betty was…a deviant? A pervert? None of the words she had been taught seemed to fit Betty's condition and Kate was at a loss for what to call it. Despite this, Kate was starting to see that her father was wrong about a lot of things and she was going to have to do some soul searching.

Her hand reached out of its own accord to touch the wound on Betty's face when the other woman's eyelids fluttered open. Kate jumped into a sitting position and wrenched her hand back as though she had been burned.

_What is the matter with you?!_ Kate berated herself mentally as she shifted cautiously away from Betty. She could feel the dark brown eyes staring at her and her cheeks burned against her will, an unfortunate symptom of being a red head.

The adrenaline was beginning to drain from her veins allowing the intense pain from the wounds on her back to creep back in. Kate winced as she leaned back against the passeneger seat of the Jaguar and stared back at Betty.

"Close call, huh? You two all right?" Gladys asked to their left, before turning her attention back to the road in front of her.

Gladys' voice brought Kate to the present and she quickly looked away from the blonde's intense gaze. Her thoughts were racing a mile a minute and the fact that Betty was sitting right beside her didn't help.

Betty and Gladys hadn't stopped looking for her… even after the terrible things she had said to Betty. They found her, risking their own necks to come and rescue her. Kate chanced a glance back over at the blonde and her eyes were greeted with the angry wound on her pale face once again.

Guilt washed over. She had caused Betty so much pain, both physically and mentally. Yet… she had still come for her… Why?

Kate had been raised on the Bible and taught a lot about sin, but it was becoming harder and harder to write off Betty as simply a deviant. How could someone so… caring… be a sinner?

These conflicting thoughts were interrupted by Gladys driving into a pothole, causing her back to bang roughly against the seat. A yelp of pain escaped her lips and all of a sudden Betty's hands were gently holding her upper arms.

"Are you all right?" Betty questioned her in a panicky voice, and Kate could see the concern etched across her face. After everything, this woman was still worried about her well being.

"I…I'm fine," Kate managed to mutter, even as the pain seared across her back like fire. Seeming to realize what she was doing, Betty let her hands drop away awkwardly.

"We'll be there soon," the blonde assured her, scooting a respectful distance away.

"Correction. We're here," Gladys told them, bringing the car to a stop. Kate looked skeptically out the window, and then looked questioningly back at the two women.

* * *

"Are you sure James won't mind? I could stay at the boarding house," Kate asked, twisting her hands in worry and glancing around the nice apartment. Betty smirked at the auburn haired woman; no matter how many times Gladys reassured her, she still seemed unsure.

"Of course he won't mind. And your father knows where the boarding house is; it'll be the first place he goes looking for you. It's not safe there," Gladys affirmed squashing any further argument Kate may have had.

"You sure you don't want to see a doctor?" Betty asked, eyeing the blood that was beginning to soak through her jacket that Kate was still wearing. The other woman turned to look at her and shook her head adamantly, auburn curls swaying from side to side at the motion.

"All right, well you should at least let one of us clean that up for you," Betty suggested, gesturing to her back. The thought of having to see Kate's wounds again terrified her and made her sick at the same time.

Kate glanced from Gladys to her and back and Betty could see the discomfort and embarrassment the woman was feeling. Sensing the awkwardness in the room as being because of her, Betty cleared her throat and nodded her head.

"I'll just step out…," Betty offered already halfway to the door, but Kate's soft voice stopped her.

"Don't leave… please," Kate pleaded and Betty looked over her shoulder at her scared blue eyes. Did she really want her there? Wouldn't her…condition or whatever it was make Kate feel uncomfortable? Wasn't it improper? All of these questions raced through Betty's mind, but she turned back around anyway. She asked her to stay, so she was going to stay.

She couldn't read the auburn haired woman. One moment it seemed like Kate felt the same way, and the very next second she would call her disgusting. Pain seared through Betty's heart at the memory, but she had to put that aside right now.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up," Gladys prodded, gently guiding Kate to the washroom, pausing to address Betty.

"Could you grab some towels and a bowl of warm water? I believe James has some bandages stashed away in the hall closet, I'm going to see if I can find them," Gladys requested while Kate began to gingerly remove Betty's jacket from her shoulders.

"Uh, yea, sure," Betty replied, while the image of the Kate's shredded, bloody back burned into her memory. She quickly left the washroom to retrieve the items, anger boiling inside of her again. All she wanted to do at that moment was to find Kate's father and rip him apart. How could a father do that to their own daughter? Especially one who claimed to be a man of God.

So many emotions were coursing through her body at that very moment that she felt as though she may burst. She was enraged at Kate's father for hurting her again. She was relieved and happy to have Kate back in a safe place. She was terrified Kate would reject her again. Worst of all, she still felt love for Kate and it was eating her alive.

Focusing on the task at hand, she collected the towel and the bowl of water. Betty returned with the items Gladys requested and placed them on the sink while Kate sank to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. Kate's dress was destroyed and Betty had to avert her eyes in order to keep a hold of her emotions.

Gladys appeared in the doorway empty handed and looked at them apologetically.

"It seems I was mistaken. There aren't any bandages but I know there are some at my parent's house. I am going to speed over there and grab some. Betty, you can go ahead and clean the wounds. I should be back in less than ten minutes," the wealthy woman assured them before speeding out of the washroom.

Left alone in the small room with Kate, Betty felt unsure of how to proceed.

"I'm sorry I ruined your jacket, Betty," Kate spoke, her voice barely above a whisper and it was breaking her heart to hear that strong soprano so broken.

"It's fine…really. I need a new jacket anyway," she replied, trying to ease the other woman's mind.

"Kate, if you feel uncomfortable, I, uh, we can wait until Gladys gets back, and she, uh, can do this if you like," Betty managed to force out. Honestly, these wounds probably should have been cleaned a while ago, but Betty didn't want Kate to feel that she was being indecent.

"It's okay, Betty," Kate whispered, and the blonde woman hesitated for a moment to give her the chance to change her mind.

"I'm, uh, going to have to tear your dress a little… is that okay?" Betty wanted to make sure Kate was one hundred percent comfortable, even if her own hands were shaking. She had never dressed wounds this bad. What if she hurt her? She never wanted to be the cause of Kate's pain.

Kate simply nodded her head in response and Betty carefully tore a larger hole in the back of the dress. The scars from past beatings could still be seen beneath the new bloody lashes and Betty struggled to keep her composure as she soaked the towel in the warm water.

Raising the towel, Betty let it hover over the wounds on Kate's back for a nervous moment before pressing it to one of the wounds as gently as humanly possible.

"Does that hurt?" Betty asked, slowly and carefully wiping the dried blood away. Kate shook her head, so Betty continued to tenderly clean the wounds.

She was almost finished when she came to a particularly deep gash. As soon as she touched the towel to the edge of it Betty could hear Kate's sharp intake of breath and see the muscles in her back tense up.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you. Are you okay?" Betty apologized quickly, shaking a little as she returned the towel to the water, dyed red from the blood.

"I'm fine... Betty?" Kate replied before looking over shoulder at the blonde woman.

"Yea, Kate?" Betty responded, meeting her gaze.

"Thank you," Kate said simply, before breaking the eye contact. Betty was about to reply when Gladys could be heard coming though the front door.

* * *

"Sorry about that," Gladys apologized, unloading the bandages and ointment onto the washroom floor.

The pain in Kate's back had been reduced to a dull ache thanks to Betty's gentle ministrations. She still had a hard time understanding how the blonde woman could still care about her after all of things she had said to her.

Kate could feel Betty stand up and she couldn't help but miss her presence. Gladys replaced her and began to apply the ointment to the wounds on her back. While the wealthy brunette attempted to be careful it was impossible to avoid pain all together.

Glancing over her shoulder, Kate could see that Betty had stayed in the washroom, leaning against the doorframe and watching Gladys finish up applying the bandages. All of these feelings she was having were starting to get really confusing and her exhausted mind couldn't reconcile all of them right now. Knowing that Betty was looking out for her was good enough right now. She would have to sort through all of the rest later.

"Good as new," Gladys said, standing and holding out her hand to help Kate up. She accepted the offered hand and stood slowly, the sudden movement leaving her light headed.

"Thank you, Gladys," Kate gave the other woman a small smile and looked over at Betty unable to form any other words.

"Of course. I brought you a nightdress. I told my father that I was just stepping out to mail a letter to James. I really should get back before he becomes suspicious. Are you going to be okay here? Do you need anything?" Gladys squeezed one of Kate's hands while looking sympathetically into her eyes.

"Oh, I'll be all right," Kate all of sudden felt nervous at the idea of being left alone in this apartment she had never been in before.

"I'll come check on you in the morning before shift," Gladys confirmed, throwing the blonde a quick glance before making her way towards the door.

Kate snapped her attention to Betty, were they both going to leave her here?

"Are…Are you leaving too, Betty?" she managed to ask, silently pleading with the blonde woman to stay. She really didn't want to be alone right now.

"Nah. It's late so I'll probably just stay here. The girls at the boarding house will be talking either way," Betty responded, with her usual smirk, but her eyes betrayed her worry.

"Good night," Gladys left with a wave and a smile, leaving Kate and Betty alone. Kate watched as Betty strode over to the door and made sure all of the locks were secure.

Not really knowing what else to do, Kate took the nightdress Gladys had left her and walked into the washroom to go put it on.

Her back was extremely sore and every movement she made seemed to feel like she was being whipped with that belt all over again. Slipping off her torn dress wasn't too difficult, but putting on the nightdress looked like it was going to be a challenge.

Kate unfolded the nightdress and went to lift it over her head causing a stab of intense pain to shoot through her body and a small groan to escape her lips. Trying to regain her composure, she took a moment to lean against the wood door of the washroom.

She was startled when she heard a knock on the other side.

"Yes…?" her voice betrayed her a little by wavering.

_He found me…_ was her first thought, but she was relieved when she heard the familiar female voice on the other side.

"Are you all right, Kate?" she could hear Betty ask through the door. She must have heard her yelp of pain and be worried.

"I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute," Kate responded timidly finally able to slip the thin nightdress over her head. She knew she was starting to sound like a broken record, but 'fine' was all she could manage right now.

"All right, well let me know if you need any help," Betty offered and Kate could hear her footsteps walking away from the door.

She stepped out of the washroom carefully, peaking around the door frame. The blonde was sitting on a small couch in the middle of the room reading what looked like the late edition of some newspaper. Betty glanced up and gave her a warm smile when she heard her light feet on the wood floor.

"Feeling better?" Betty asked her, setting the paper down on the small table in front of her and adjusting her body to face the auburn haired woman.

Kate smiled shyly at the blonde and took a seat next to her on the couch, tucking one leg underneath herself while she met the brown eyes staring back at her.

"Much…thanks to you," Kate wasn't sure what to say next. So much had happened between her and Betty and there was so much that needed to be said, but she had no idea where to start.

"Betty…I…-," Kate began but was quickly cut off by the blonde woman.

"We don't need to talk about it right now. You should really get some rest," Betty told her, never taking her chocolate brown eyes off Kate.

For a moment, Kate wanted to respond that she really did want to talk about it, but her exhaustion was beginning to catch up with her. She could feel her body starting to shut down, but Betty's bruised forehead caught her attention.

"What about you? Does this hurt much?" Kate asked, hesitantly reaching out and tucking a stray lock of blonde hair behind Betty's ear to getting a better view of the wound.

Before…everything that had happened, Kate wouldn't have given this gesture a second thought, but now…she was unsure of every action she made around Betty.

_What if she mistakes my concern for affection? _Kate thought to herself, but then stopped. She did feel affection for the blonde woman, how could she not? This was the woman who befriended her immediately, even helped her keep her job at Vic Mu. Betty had defended her every step of the way, but one thing in particular the blonde had said to her stuck out.

"_Whatever you're running from…you're safe here now. I'll make sure,"_ Betty had told her, a fierce look in her chocolate brown eyes. Betty had kept that promise and Kate knew she would always be safe with the blonde haired woman around.

Her hands ignored her brain and she brushed her fingertips across the darkening bruise in the lightest of touches. Betty didn't wince but her eyelids fluttered closed for a moment before snapping back open.

"I'll probably have a nice shiner for shift tomorrow, but it doesn't smart too bad. You should probably get some shut eye. James' room is down the hall. I'll be catching a few winks out here if you need anything," Betty told her in a nervous rush, standing quickly and heading over to the closet.

Apparently finding what she was looking for, Betty returned with a pillow and some blankets and Kate got the hint. She lifted herself from the couch and started towards the hall before pausing to look over her shoulder. She wanted to tell Betty she could sleep in the bed too. That everything was okay between them, but she couldn't.

"Good night, Betty and…I'm really glad you came for me," Kate told her instead. It didn't seem like it was enough for everything the blonde had done for her, but there would be more time for talk later.

"Good night, Kate," Betty smiled at her and nodded to her appreciatively. Kate turned and walked into James' room and closed the door behind her.

She was absolutely spent from the adrenaline crash, so it was all she could do to pull back the covers before collapsing on the mattress.

Before she had even fully pulled the comforter up, Kate had fallen soundly asleep.

* * *

Betty woke to a searing headache and a sore neck from sleeping on the uncomfortable couch in James' apartment. She pushed it from her mind because she was certain whatever pain she was feeling, Kate hurt infinitely worse.

Images of the previous night flashed across her mind, against her will the usual swirl of emotions flared inside her again. Betty swore to herself that she would never let anyone harm Kate ever again. Even if Kate decided she didn't want anything to do with her, she would still do everything in her power to protect her. Even from herself…

The pounding in her head reminded her of the large bruise she probably had, but also she remembered something else. The feeling of Kate's delicate fingers on her temple, tracing the wound gently, had sent a bolt of electricity through her body. Kate probably had no idea the effect she had on her and Betty wasn't going to be the one to tell her. At least not yet.

Standing up and stretching her sore muscles, Betty decided to see if there was anything in the cupboard or possibly the icebox to eat. As she suspected, there wasn't a thing to eat since James had been gone for quite a while.

A knock at the door surprised her, but then she remembered that it was probably just Gladys coming to check on them. She headed to the door, still wearing the same blouse and trousers from yesterday, except wrinkled from being slept in.

"How'd it go?" Gladys asked anxiously, stepping quickly into the apartment while Betty closed the door behind her. The wealthy woman looked as put together as usual and she couldn't help but roll her eyes at the woman.

"Good morning to you too, Princess," Betty replied with her usual sarcasm, folding her arms across her chest in consternation.

"Is she all right? Did you talk? What happened?" Gladys was speaking a mile a minute and Betty was getting more and more frustrated with the wealthy brunette in front of her.

"Stop being such a Nosy Nancy... Nothing happened," Betty told her, flopping unceremoniously back on the couch. As soon as she landed on the cushions, she heard light footsteps in the hall and she sat up straight and turned in the direction the noise was coming from.

"Good morning, Gladys…," Kate's melodic voice greeted, before acknowledging the blonde with a nod and, "…Betty."

"How are you feeling?" Gladys asked with concern in her voice.

"I'm a little sore, but otherwise good," Kate assured her with a smile, but Betty could see the way her movement was restricted and how she winced when she shifted a certain way. Seeing Kate it pain, caused Betty to forget about her own headache entirely.

"I'm glad to hear it. I brought you some clothes, but we'll have to go shopping soon because I'm sure you're tired of wearing my things," Gladys informed her with an easy grin.

"Oh, not at all. Thank you, Gladys," Kate took the clothes from the brunette and looked to Betty.

"Are you going to work today?" she asked timidly and Betty could see the apprehension in Kate's eyes. Betty couldn't quite determine whether she was nervous about her leaving or staying.

"Yea, and we should probably skedaddle too. Are you going to be all right here by yourself? I can stay…" Betty all of sudden seriously considered not going to work when she saw the look in Kate's ice blue eyes. She was terrified her father would find her while they were gone.

"You should go…I'll be all right…," Kate told her, not quite meeting her eyes. Betty turned to Gladys and asked,

"Can you tell Mrs. Corbett I'll be out today?"

Gladys grinned happily but nodded her acquiescence to the blonde woman.

"Betty, really. You don't have to do that. I don't want you to get in trouble on my account," Kate tried to convince her but her mind was made up all ready.

"I've never missed a shift at the factory since I started working there. I think I deserve a day off," Betty made sure there was no more room for argument and Kate seemed to have given up.

"Well, I'm off, ladies. I'll go fight the Gerries for both of you. Should I tell Mrs. Corbett to expect you for blue shift tomorrow, Kate?" Gladys asked already halfway to the door once again. Betty was beginning to suspect she was trying to leave them alone on purpose.

"That would be lovely," Kate responded awarding Gladys with her trademark earnest smile.

"Have a nice day, ladies," Gladys bid farewell before heading out the door, giving Betty a playful wink on her way out.

"You should get dressed. There's not a crumb here so I'll take you out for breakfast," Betty told the auburn haired woman confidently, but on the inside she was terrified. She was going to be spending all day with Kate which meant at some point they would have to talk about what happened between them. Betty didn't know if she could handle Kate's rejection again, but she had made a promise to watch over and that's what she was going to do.

Kate nodded her head, apparently just as apprehensive as she was, and turned to go change in James' room.

* * *

**That's it for the second chapter. Thank you for reading my little story. Let me know what you think! All reviews are welcome and appreciated! Things will start getting real in the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do not own the show Bomb Girls nor any of its characters._

**Onward I go! Please review! It makes me write faster!**

* * *

Betty took another drag from her cigarette before flicking the ashes into the tray beside her. She released the smoke slowly, letting it curl around her face as she watched the woman across from her.

Kate had gotten changed into the nice, navy blue dress Gladys had brought for her and Betty was having a hard time focusing on the plate of breakfast in front of her so she had lit a smoke instead to calm her nerves. It had been a long night and she hadn't slept well, but Betty knew Kate had hardly slept at all. All through the night she could hear the moans of Kate's nightmares and she wanted to go to her so badly…but, things were different now.

Betty had lived in Toronto over a year now but she still wasn't familiar with this ritzy part of town. They were both famished so they had stopped at the first diner they had come to and they hadn't been disappointed.

Gazing over at the auburn haired woman across from her, Betty watched as Kate devoured the food in front of her. She had a feeling that Kate hadn't had a decent meal in quite a while judging by the way she was inhaling her breakfast.

She was hesitant to break the silence so she set her cigarette down in the tray and took a bite of her toast before chasing it down with a sip from her coffee. Setting down her mug, she let herself glance over at Kate again, relishing being near her again, but dreading the conversation they needed to have.

Kate seemed to have noticed her staring and halted what she was doing, setting down her fork.

"Do I have something in my teeth?" Kate asked, lifting her hand to hide her mouth in embarrassment. Betty smiled affectionately at the blush that was creeping up the red head's neck. She was too cute when she was embarrassed.

"No, your teeth are perfect. You just seem like you haven't eaten in days, that's all," Betty replied, taking another gulp from her mug. She really should be more subtle, comments like that are what got her into this mess in the first place.

"Oh, well my family never really could afford to eat out. Even if we could I doubt my father would let us have such a luxury," Kate humbly replied, with a small smile. Betty felt like an idiot at being reminded of the other woman's family life. Having grown up in the prairies, she hadn't had the most comfortable upbringing either, but at least she never had an abusive father.

"Well, eat up cause I think we are going to be shopping for a while," Betty told her, trying to change the subject to a happier topic. A waitress came by and took their plates and filled their coffees before moving on to the next booth.

"Betty, I haven't any money…," Kate told her, looking away in shame.

It broke her heart to see the red head so worried about money, but Betty wasn't going to let her continue to go without.

"Don't worry about it. I have some money saved up," Betty assured her, setting some bills down on the table for their meal to emphasize her point. She retrieved her cigarette and finished it off before squashing it back into the tray.

"I can't…that's the money you saved for your house…," Kate whispered unsurely, piercing Betty with those ice blue eyes again. It warmed her heart that Kate remembered her plan to buy a house, but there were things…and people, that were more important right now.

"This war's got a few more good years in it. I'll be able to save more money. Come on, Kate, '_there's nothing wrong with nice things'_," Betty tried to reassure her by teasing her lightly with her own words, but she could tell that this was still going to bother Kate. The red head seemed like she was going to protest some more, but thought better of it, standing up from the booth.

"Only one outfit though…Just until I can get my own clothes back. I just need to sneak into the trailer at night when he's out preaching," Kate mumbled and Betty panicked, reaching out her hand to grab Kate's. She was relieved when the red head didn't pull away, so she gently squeezed her hand to illustrate her next words.

"Kate,…you can't go back there," she ordered the other woman with a stern gaze. There was no way Betty was going to let her walk right back into her father's hands.

She released the red head's hand and walked out of the diner and onto the street to be free of the onlookers in the diner. Kate turned to her and seemed to be seeing straight through to her soul with those bright eyes.

"Betty, I have to… my things…money I saved...the hair comb you gave me," Kate's voice was low and urgent and Betty knew she wouldn't be able to change her mind.

"Let me worry about that. You said yourself, if you go back he won't let you leave again," Betty paused as a couple of older women passed by them.

"Please, promise you won't go back there…please," Betty begged quietly, her eyes pleading with the red head. Kate searched her face and looked as though she was going to argue, but thought better of it.

"I promise," Kate whispered, and Betty gave her a small nod of appreciation before hooking her arm through the red head's, leading her away from the diner.

There appeared to be a lot of little shops in this area, so finding Kate some clothes shouldn't be too difficult.

"Where do you want to start?" Betty asked, gesturing at the shops all around them with her free hand. Kate glanced in the windows of a few shops as they walked, but her blue eyes lit up at one display.

In the window there was a beautiful powder blue dress with little white daisies all over it and Kate was so close to window that her breath fogged the glass.

"Looks like a winner to me," Betty smiled at the red head but could see that Kate wasn't completely comfortable with the idea of her buying her clothes.

"Betty, it's too fancy…," the red head worried, but Betty could see the longing gaze she directed at that dress so her mind was made up.

* * *

"I don't think I've ever had so many nice, new things at one time," Kate gushed as she looked around at all of the shopping bags surrounding her. Both of them sat cross legged on the floor of James' apartment after a long morning of shopping.

Betty had spoiled her rotten. Anything that caught her eye, the blonde woman had bought for her, no questions asked. Kate had protested profusely at first but Betty wouldn't have it. She still felt a little guilty at letting her spend that much money, especially since she knew the meager paycheck she received from the factory every week.

"You should be set for a while," Betty smiled at her warmly and Kate's heart fluttered a little. This was happening more and more frequently; her body betraying her this way. Everything she had ever been taught was beginning to crumble and she struggled to salvage the pieces, but had no idea which ones to save and which ones to let go.

Originally, Kate had thought that Betty had seduced her into feeling this way, but she had long realized that was what her father wanted her to think. She refused to believe that God could be as unforgiving as her father claimed him to be.

It amazed her how two people, who proclaimed to love her, could be so different. On the one hand, there was her father who claimed he was trying to protect her from burning in hell. He showed his love by beating the devil out of her and baptized her sins away by nearly drowning her.

Then there was Betty…

Kate stole a glance at the blonde across from her who was absorbed looking at a pair of shoes Kate had picked out. Kate couldn't deny that Betty was beautiful, but that was only part of the reason she got these feelings.

Betty had said that she loved her, but Kate, if she was honest with herself, already knew that. Her father said that he loved her too…

Leon had told her that she should pay more attention to a person's actions instead of their words. Judging by that logic, the blonde woman knocked her father out of the park. Being around Betty felt safe and made her feel cared for while every moment spent with her father was a moment spent in fear.

She was startled out of her reverie when the other woman stood up.

"Where are you going?" Kate asked standing up as well. She was slightly taller than the blonde, but for some reason she always felt so small compared to Betty.

"I've wore the same blouse for two days now. I think I'm starting to smell. I was going to head over to the rooming house to get a change of clothes," Betty told her gesturing to the red fabric covering her upper half. Kate didn't want to be left alone…her father was still out there after all.

"Do you want to come with?" Betty asked seeming to read her mind. Kate was relieved and grabbed her new coat that the blonde had bought her. It was a really nice black wool coat that would last her a long time and was extremely warm to boot.

"Sure," she replied, following Betty out of the apartment, smiling to herself as she closed the door.

* * *

It had taken a while for them to get their bearings but eventually they had figured out which street car they needed to take to get to the boarding house.

When they arrived Betty hopped off the street car and held out her hand to help Kate, who gratefully accepted. Kate couldn't help the spark that ran through her at the contact, but she hid it as best she could.

Betty released her hand once she was firmly on the ground, and already Kate missed the feeling. They walked up to the front door and Betty unlocked the dead bolt before holding the door open for the red head.

It was little actions like these that made Kate question everything. It was as if Betty lived to make her more comfortable.

They arrived at Betty's door and the blonde got to work looking for a suitable outfit to change into. Kate glanced around the familiar space, thinking about all of the time she spent here before things got so confusing.

Her wandering eyes eventually fell on Betty's mirror and her breath hitched at what she saw there. Wedged into the frame of the mirror was one of the pictures that had been taken in exchange for her security papers.

The only thing was… it wasn't one of the filthier pictures. It was the lone head shot the photographer had taken. Why would she choose that one? Kate knew that Betty had had the others. For some reason, this mere observation created a painful lump in her throat.

Betty wasn't a pervert… of all the pictures of Kate she could have chosen to keep… Betty chose the one of her face. Just her face…

"You all right?" Betty asked and Kate met her brown eyes in the mirror. Swallowing the lump in her throat and attempting to get a hold of her emotions, Kate mustered her courage.

"Why do you still have that picture?" Kate asked, her head spinning. It was becoming harder and harder to breath with Betty staring at her like that.

She could see the blonde freeze and for a moment she thought Betty was angry with her. Instead, she turned around and looked directly in Kate's eyes.

"I didn't know when I would see you again...I wanted to remember what you look like," Betty seemed to be struggling for words, but she still appeared to be the strong woman Kate knew.

"Why not one of the others?" Kate whispered, breaking the intense gaze by looking over at her picture again.

"You look happy in this one," Betty's voice was strained and Kate could tell that talking about this was one of the hardest things she had ever done. After all, the last time she had acted on her feelings, she had been hurt.

"Betty…I don't know if I…I," Kate was struggling to form the right words. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt the blonde again, but she just wasn't ready to pretend like nothing was wrong. The blonde saved her from continuing by asking her a different question.

"Do you remember when you told me that I didn't need everyone liking me? Just the ones that matter?" Betty spoke slowly, carefully and Kate was terrified of what the blonde was getting at, but she nodded.

"You matter to me, Kate…and I don't know if I can just pretend like I don't care what you think of me," Betty's voice started out hesitant, but by the end it was strong and clear as she gained confidence.

"I know…I just…I don't know if I can…there's so many different voices in my head telling me it's wrong," Kate turned away from the blonde. She just couldn't stand the hurt look in those blue eyes right now. She hated being the cause of Betty's pain; it hurt worse than any beating her father could give her.

"I understand…," the blonde woman paused for a moment before continuing, "I just can't help the way I feel I about you, Kate."

Betty's strained words startled her. For some reason, she had never really thought of Betty's situation that way. She had always thought that the other woman chose this path, but… when she really thought about it, it made complete sense.

All of these feelings she was having were completely out of her control too. They would sneak up on her when she least expected them to, but she would push them away every time and mentally berate herself for having them. Her father's voice telling her that God was going to banish her to hell rang in her mind when she thought about Betty. But, she honestly had no idea if that's the kind of God she believed in anymore.

She had read the Bible many, many times, but always through the lens of her father's harsh preaching. She knew Leviticus and the rest of them, but she thought back to what Leon said about people's actions. As she remembered it, Jesus walked with people that society had deemed deviant… What did that mean? Kate's head was beginning to hurt and she was only getting more confused about how she felt.

Kate turned to see that Betty was leaning heavily on her dresser, her knuckles white from gripping the edges. Why would God create someone as strong as Betty only to torture her this way?

Not really thinking about what she was doing, Kate closed the distance between herself and the blonde woman. She gently laid her hand over Betty's, and the other woman's face turned to look at her. Kate could see the unshed tears shimmering over Betty's brown eyes and her heart ached for her.

Betty released her grip on the dresser and Kate did the only thing that felt right; she pulled the other woman into a tight embrace.

She could feel Betty gripping the back of her jacket and winced a little because of her wounds, but she didn't care. The last thing she wanted at that moment was for the blonde to pull away.

* * *

_This can't be real…I have to be dreaming…_ Betty thought as she buried her face into Kate's shoulder. The auburn hair that tickled her cheeks felt like silk and Betty never wanted Kate to leave. If she had it her way, Betty could stay in this very moment for the rest of her life and she would be happy.

She and Kate had hugged before, but there was just something powerful about this moment. They had actually had a conversation about their feelings for each other, well mostly Betty had spilled her guts but that was beside the point. Kate hadn't called her disgusting or pulled away, in fact, she had initiated the contact even after Betty had laid her emotions bare.

She didn't dare hope that Kate felt the same way, but at least she knew that she felt something.

Kate's hands held her firmly, and Betty felt so safe in the red head's arms. Closing her eyes, Betty attempted to memorize every sensation so that way she could hold to this moment for as long as her memory would allow.

She could feel Kate's soft breath on her neck and it caused a shiver to run up her spine, and the heat from the other woman's body pressed against hers wasn't helping. Betty gripped Kate a little tighter to her when she heard the slight crinkle of the bandages underneath.

"Betty…," Kate's voice was soft against her ear. Betty's heart always raced when the singer said her name; it was just something about the way it rolled off her tongue. What she wouldn't give to hear that voice sing again…

Against her will, her hands quickly slid away, afraid she was hurting the wounds on Kate's back. She felt the other woman slowly pull away and immediately felt cold, missing Kate's body so close to her own.

"Did I hurt you?" Betty asked, gazing into the bright blue of Kate's eyes. All of sudden she felt so unsure of herself. She still wasn't positive where she stood with the other woman, but it was a lot better than where they were before.

"Not at all," Kate replied with the brightest smile Betty had seen from her in a while. Her perfectly straight, white teeth flashed between her soft pink lips and for a moment she had the urge to kiss her again.

Betty mentally smacked herself. She would not make that mistake again. She needed her to get a hold of herself. She wasn't going to ruin the progress they had just made. Kate's soft voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"Are you staying here tonight?" Kate asked, and Betty was at a loss for a moment. Did Kate not want her to stay in James' apartment with her?

"I wasn't planning on it, but if you want James' apartment all to yourself I would understand," Betty wasn't sure what to say to the red head. She couldn't read her.

"No, that's not it… I just feel guilty. You sleeping on the couch," Kate seemed to be struggling to find the right words and Betty couldn't help but be reminded of the time she had invited Kate to stay with her because of her nightmares. She had wanted Kate to take her up on that offer so bad, just to lie next to her… but she couldn't.

"It's not so bad. Anyway, I should probably change and pack some clothes," Betty told her as she turned back to her dresser. She picked out her green dress and was about to slip off her trousers when she noticed that Kate was still there.

"Oh, sorry. I'll leave," Kate said in a rush, before practically sprinting past the curtain and pulling it closed behind her. Betty smiled to herself as she slipped off her trousers and unbuttoned her blouse. She loved everything about Kate…

_If only she loved me back…_ Betty's smile slipped from her face, but she shook these negative thoughts from her head and focused on changing. Things were certainly different between them now and only time would tell if that was a good thing.

She headed back to her dresser to grab a few things when Kate's picture caught her eye. Removing it from her mirror, Betty smiled affectionately at the photograph of the red head for a moment before placing it softly into her suitcase.

She pulled the curtain to the side and stepped out of her room to find Kate staring at the door across the hall. Her old room.

Kate noticed her presence and awarded her with another beautiful smile.

"I was thinking, you know, I could always come back here. That way you wouldn't have to sleep on James' couch," Kate offered and Betty detected the hope in her voice. As much as it pained her to bring the red head down, Betty couldn't let her stay here. It wasn't safe.

"Kate, you know why you can't stay here…," Betty told her with a sympathetic look. Kate's smile faltered, but she nodded her agreement.

"I know…Sometimes…It just feels like he's still controlling my life…," Kate admitted, giving her old room a dark look. Sensing her changing mood, Betty gently put her arm around Kate's shoulders and led her away.

* * *

**There you go! I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I do not own the show Bomb Girls nor any of its characters._

**I hope everyone is enjoying this story! Please let me know what you like or don't like, it helps me improve as a writer and I appreciate it immensely. Thanks to Charmed Lassie for sticking with me and Fiona249 for the compliments! Your reviews are what's keeping me going! On to the story!**

* * *

"Well, I must say, Kate, you look swell," Gladys complimented the red head as she modeled the new dress Betty had bought for her. She flashed the woman a wide smile, twirling to see how the dress moved.

Betty had brought her back to James' apartment after leaving the boarding house and Gladys had met them there after her shift at Vic Mu. She had already informed Kate that Mrs. Corbett still had a space for her in blue shift and that she could start work tomorrow. To celebrate, Gladys insisted on taking them all out for dinner and drinks.

"Don't you think she looks like a million bucks, Betty?" Gladys hinted to the blonde woman, who stood beside her. Kate glanced over to gauge Betty's reaction to her outfit only to be met with soft brown eyes staring directly at her.

"I think you look beautiful," Betty directed her response to her and Kate blushed under her gaze, looking away in embarrassment. This was becoming quite the habit for her, but she couldn't deny that she enjoyed the blonde's attention. It made her giddy and she felt as though she had butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

She had tried to write it off as her just being vain, but something else stirred inside of her when Betty said things like that to her. Unable to put her finger on the feeling, Kate pushed these confusing thoughts from her mind.

"All right then. Let's get out of here," Gladys suggested to the two of them, throwing her fur shawl over her shoulders. It was the heart of winter in Toronto and the temperature was nothing to sneeze at. The new wool coat Betty had gotten her was incredibly warm, but she had a feeling she was going to wish she still had the silk stockings Gladys had given her once she was outside.

Kate was about to button up her coat when she noticed Betty in her green dress with only a light sweater to protect her bare arms. She immediately felt like a clod. She had ruined Betty's winter jacket when they escaped from her father. The blood had completely ruined it and now Betty didn't have a coat. The memory caused a painful flashback, but she tried her best to get a hold of her emotions.

"You can't go out like that, Betty! You'll freeze," Kate protested, already slipping her new coat off her shoulders to give to the blonde woman. Betty quickly stepped out of her reach and shook her head adamantly.

"No way. I bought that for you. I'll be fine, really. The restaurant is close, right Princess?" Betty assured her before turning to the wealthy woman beside and giving her a meaningful look. Kate knew she was trying to appease her, but it was going to get really cold out. She knew. After many nights of standing out preaching at this time of year, she was quite familiar with the sting of the cold.

"It's only a few blocks, but if I had known you didn't have a coat I would have brought you one of mine," the brunette worried aloud, eyeing Betty with concern.

"I'll be fine. Let's just go. I'm starving," Betty tried to convince them, but Kate was still skeptical. Betty was stubborn though, she would rather get frost bite than change her mind, so they didn't push the matter further.

* * *

_Shit, it's freezing out here,_ Betty thought as they stepped out of the restaurant. She had almost forgotten in the warmth of the building how cold it was, but now that they were back outside she was given a harsh reminder.

She folded her arms attempting to create a little body heat, but quickly unfolded them when she saw Kate's concerned blue eyes looking her way. There was no way she was going to let the red head give up her coat, so she pretended that she couldn't feel the icy air through her sweater.

"Thank you so much, Gladys. That was fanciest dinner I've ever had," Kate spoke excitedly, her warm breath turning to fog in the cold night air.

Betty couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy; she wanted to be the one taking Kate to fancy places like this. She knew Gladys hadn't intended to show off, but instances like this always reminded her of the other woman's higher status.

"Hey Kate, I know it's been a long day, but are you up for seeing Leon's band play tonight?" Betty asked the auburn haired woman suddenly and was rewarded with a smile that lit up Kate's entire face.

_That answered my question, _Betty thought with a playful smirk.

* * *

Gladys insisted they take a taxi, claiming the street cars weren't safe at this time of night. Neither of them protested since she was paying, and Betty was relieved to be out of the cold night air.

They arrived at Tangiers to see the night in full swing with the music playing, couples dancing, and drinks flowing. Betty led them to their usual spot with the small circular table before lighting up a cigarette, seeing Kate practically bouncing with excitement out of the corner of her eye.

Betty knew this was one of her favorite places to be which is why she suggested it. Not to mention, she was sure Leon would be happy to see Kate back safe.

"I'll grab us some drinks," Betty offered and Kate smiled happily at her before turning her attention back to Leon's band, humming to the tune they were playing.

"I'll help!" Gladys followed her up to the bar and planted herself directly facing Betty. Sensing she wanted to say something, the blonde woman ordered the drinks quickly to buy her some time before the questions began.

"Three lime cordials," Betty told the bartender as she puffed away on her cigarette.

"How're things with Kate? It seems like you two had a nice day," Gladys leaned forward and asked her conspiratorially. The bartender returned with the three drinks Betty ordered and Gladys grabbed one without looking away from her.

"I think she might be changing her tune, Princess," she replied, giving Gladys an overly confident smirk to hide the hope she felt. Betty wasn't one to get giddy over anyone, but the fact that Kate seemed to be more accepting of her was making her feel hopeful.

"Betts! That's great!" Gladys gushed and Betty allowed a small smile to crack her lips. She grabbed the other two drinks and made her way back to Kate with Gladys in tow.

"Mhmm…Lime cordial. My favorite. You're the best, Betty," Kate thanked the blonde before taking the glass from her hand.

For the briefest of moments, Kate's fingers brushed against her own and she felt the familiar warmth spread throughout her body. Before she knew it the moment was over, but Betty could still feel the tingle in the tips of her fingers. Kate sipped her drink casually and she had a feeling the moment hadn't been mutual.

The band finished the song they were playing and Kate waved excitedly at Leon, trying to get his attention. It worked and the large man smiled, gesturing for her to approach the stage.

Betty watched with longing as the red head practically skipped over to the stage.

* * *

"Church Mouse!" Leon greeted Kate, jumping off the stage so he could give her a friendly hug. She returned the gesture, standing on her toes to wrap her arms around his broad shoulders.

"Leon, it's so good to see you!" Kate told him sincerely before pulling away to look up at his face.

"Didn't think I was going to be seeing you again. You left in quite the rush," the edge in his soulful voice sounded almost like a reprimand.

"Sorry, I didn't really have a chance to say goodbye…," Kate replied, feeling a little foolish. It had never really occurred to her that there would be people other than Betty that would miss her when she left.

"You leave because of Betty?" he asked directly, pulling a cigarette from his pocket. Kate stared at him blankly for a moment while he lit up, wondering what she should say.

Kate had known Leon had seen what had happened between her and Betty but she was hoping he wouldn't bring it up. She couldn't think about that night without her mood turning dark. Everything was still so confusing.

"Yes, but it was a mistake. I know that now," Kate admitted, tearing her eyes from Leon to search for the blonde in the crowd. Her eyes locked with Betty's and the other woman smiled warmly at her while sipping her drink. Kate couldn't help the smile that curled the edges of her lips. There was just something about knowing that Betty was watching her that made her feel special. Just as quickly as it appeared, Kate's smile vanished at Leon's next words.

"Those were some pretty harsh words…you did a real number on that girl. She's had it pretty rough, especially at the factory," Leon said nonchalantly as he continued to puff on his cigarette.

This new piece of information was painful for Kate to hear. She knew Betty was suffering because of her, but it wasn't something she liked to be reminded of. But, what did he mean, 'especially at the factory?' Did everyone know about Betty's… Kate still didn't know what to call it.

"I was scared, Leon," Kate whispered, worried someone might overhear their conversation. It seemed like whenever she spoke with this man, he always found a way to make her feel like she was in the wrong.

"You were more scared of a kiss from a woman who loves you than going back to a father who beats you? Makes a lot of sense," Leon challenged, blowing smoke slowly from his lips and letting out a humorless chuckle. Kate had no idea how he knew about her father, but this was not how she had wanted her reunion with her friend to be.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Kate hissed fiercely. What did he know about her life? Her feelings? Nothing. She was never one to be angered easily, but she didn't feel like any of this was Leon's business.

"If you say so, Church Mouse," Leon tilted his hat at her with a smirk that made her even angrier. She strode away from him quickly and found Betty where she had left her.

"I would like to leave," Kate told Betty, deliberately not looking into her brown eyes. She didn't want Betty to see how upset she was, but it was no use. The blonde gently took her by the arms and tilted her chin with a soft touch of her finger. Kate was slightly uncomfortable at such an intimate gesture in this club full of people, but no one seemed to be paying any attention to them.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Betty asked, searching her eyes for answers that Kate couldn't give at the moment. The brown eyes staring back at her were full of worry and Kate wished for nothing more than for things to go back the way they were without all of these conflicting emotions. Kate's eyes fell on the dark bruise on Betty's temple and she could hear Leon's voice in her head telling her that she was to blame for the blonde's suffering.

"Can we just go? Please," Kate requested again and Betty nodded her head slowly.

"Of course, let me just tell Gladys that we're leaving," Betty stepped away for a moment to have a word with the wealthy woman who was busy dancing with a soldier. Kate watched as Gladys and Betty exchanged a few words before the blonde woman made her way back through the crowd towards her.

Without another word, Betty slipped her hand into Kate's and led her out of the club and into the crisp night air. The warmth of her hand was comforting to her rattled thoughts, but it was soon over as the blonde woman released her hand when they were free from the crowd. Betty stood near the curb and waved her arm for a cab and almost immediately one pulled up in front of them. Betty held the door open for her before sliding in beside her and giving the cab driver James' address.

The ride home was spent in complete silence and it held all the way until they were back in the apartment and Betty had dead bolted the door behind them. The blonde woman turned to look at her and Kate knew what she was going to ask before the words left her lips.

"Did something happen between you and Leon?" Betty asked hesitantly. It was clear the blonde was concerned about her well being, but she didn't know if it was her place.

"Nothing really. He just wasn't happy that I left without saying goodbye, that's all," she knew it was a terrible lie and Betty wouldn't believe it for a moment, but she didn't have the energy to come up with a better response.

Betty seemed to sense her unwillingness to elaborate and Kate watched as she pulled some pajamas out of her suitcase and made her way to the washroom. She waited a moment until the blonde came out of the washroom, changed and carrying her dress as well as the ointment and fresh bandages.

* * *

"You should let me change your bandages," Betty offered, setting her dress down, and holding the bandages up to emphasize her point.

Of course Betty hadn't believed a word Kate had said, but if the auburn haired woman didn't want to talk about what happened between her and Leon then she would respect her wishes.

"Oh, sure. Uhm, okay," Kate agreed, seeming unsure of how to proceed. Eventually she took a seat on the couch, unbuttoning the top of her dress. Betty looked away respectfully until Kate's back was turned.

Being as careful as possible, Betty gently pulled the edges of the bandages away from her skin. Once again she was forced to look at the destruction that Kate's father had ravaged on her. Taking a calming breath, Betty did her best to pull herself together. No matter how many times she saw the gashes and scars on Kate's pale back she never seemed prepared for the flood of emotions that assaulted her.

"Betty?" the way the red head said her name, caused her to pause what she was doing for a moment before carefully applying the ointment to her wounds.

"Yea, Kate," she answered, trying to focus on the task at hand. The last thing she wanted to do was cause the red head more pain. She began applying the bandages the way she had seen Gladys do it the night before.

"I'm…I…I had a really nice time today," Kate stuttered and Betty had a feeling that's not what she had wanted to say, but decided not to push it. Finishing up the last of the bandages, she stood and made her way over to the waste bin to toss the old ones.

"Me too. You should get some sleep. You've had a long day and you'll be back on the line with the blues tomorrow, so you're going to need all the rest you can get," Betty informed her without turning to look at her. She had seen Kate in her bra over a thousand times when they lived together in the boarding house, but she didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"You're right…Good night, Betty," Kate said simply and she could hear the other woman stand and make her way down the hall.

"Good night," Betty responded after a moment, waiting until she heard the sound of the door pulling closed did she move from her spot. Leaning her forehead against the wall, Betty squeezed her eyes shut and tried to settle her thoughts. She flipped the switch on the standing lamp off, ready for darkness.

Still not familiar with the layout of the furniture, she stubbed her toe more than a few times before finding the couch and collapsing down onto it.

It had been such a long day and her emotions had been taken on a rollercoaster, but she was happy. She kept telling herself that Kate was safe and that's all that mattered.

* * *

A noise in the night startled Kate awake.

She bolted into a sitting position, straining her ears to listen for it again.

Creaking floorboards… heavy footsteps...too heavy to be Betty's. She flew out of bed and sprinted to the door, checking to see if it was locked, only to find that there was no lock.

Kate's heart was pounding as she pressed her ear against the door and listened only to hear the footsteps getting louder, whoever it was getting closer.

_It has to be my father…_ her thoughts raced as she thought about what her father was probably going to do to her if he got through this door. Then an ice cold shiver made its way up her spine as she remembered a critical detail.

_Betty's out there_…

Panicking, Kate grabbed the door handle and was about to throw the door open. She didn't know what she was going to do but she had to do something to protect Betty. Her heart was beating so fast she thought for sure that it would jump right out of her chest.

With a great lurch, the door flew open and she fell back, landing hard on the wood floor. In the doorway, stood the imposing figure of Vernon Rowley, Bible in hand. Kate scrambled backwards and slipped trying to get up, giving her father enough time to close the distance between them.

"Help! Betty! Please, help!" Kate screamed as her father approached her. She was frozen in place, too terrified to move. Her father's cold dark eyes were filled with fire as he grabbed her by the throat.

He held the Bible in her face as he choked her violently. She could see his lips move, but she couldn't hear him through the ringing in her ears. She tried clawing at his hands, but she felt powerless.

"Kate!" She could hear Betty's voice through a haze, but all she could see was her father's angry eyes.

"Kate! Wake up! Please, Kate!"

All of a sudden her father disappeared and she was lying in bed, drenched in sweat. The sheets were twisted all around her body and her hair was obscuring her vision. As soon as she had this thought a gentle hand slid the auburn curls out of her eyes and Betty's face appeared above her.

"It's okay…it was just a dream, you're okay, Kate," Betty reassured her and she sat up slowly, running a shaky hand through her hair. It had all felt so real…

"I…my father…," Kate struggled to form coherent thoughts as Betty sat beside her on the edge of the bed. She struggled to even out her panicked breaths as the pounding her chest began slowing.

"It was a nightmare," Betty lifted a hand and made soothing circles on her upper back, a safe distance from her wounds. The gesture calmed her a little and she allowed her eyes to slide closed for a moment, taking in the feeling of Betty's hand on her.

"I can stay if you want… I can bring the couch in here," Betty offered hesitantly already standing up, but Kate caught her hand.

She couldn't form words. What would she have said anyway? She just hoped that Betty could read her thoughts in the dark. The blonde seemed to have gotten the message because she sat back down on the bed slowly.

Kate straightened out the covers and lied down, sliding to the far side of the bed to give Betty room to climb in. At that moment, she couldn't care less about her conflicted thoughts; she just really needed Betty to stay with her.

* * *

Betty stared down at the red head's face still shiny with sweat, and weighed her options.

When she had heard, Kate shout for her from the other room, for a terrifying moment she thought that Vernon Rowley had found them.

Thinking only of protecting Kate, Betty had jumped from the couch and sprinted to the bedroom. She flung the door open and her eyes flashed around the room looking for the gray haired street preacher.

Her gaze eventually fell on the bed. Seeing Kate thrashing about, Betty had quickly closed the distance.

This had been one of the worst nightmares Betty had ever witnessed Kate have. Usually she simply tossed and turned and every once in a while she would groan in distress. This time was different. Hearing Kate scream out like that terrified Betty and the pounding in her chest was just starting to subside. She had to keep telling herself that Kate was indeed safe.

She could honestly say that hated Vernon Rowley more than she had ever hated another human being. He was the reason for all of Kate's pain and nightmares and if he ever showed his ugly face near her again Betty swore he was going to regret it.

Directing her attention back to Kate, Betty made her decision. The red head needed her there, so she would stay…just for tonight.

Betty cautiously slid her feet under the covers, giving Kate the opportunity to change her mind. Sensing no protest from the red head, she laid down and rested her head on the pillow. Almost as soon as she had gotten comfortable, Betty could feel Kate scoot closer to her in the large bed.

She laid completely still and waited for the contact she knew was coming. After what seemed like eternity, Betty felt Kate's warm hand wrap itself around her arm followed by her cheek coming to rest on her shoulder.

Betty released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding and relaxed into the mattress. Her heart ached, thinking about Kate's earlier troubled sleep. It would be amazing if the red head didn't drop from exhaustion during the day, with the small amount of sleep she was getting tonight.

More than anything, Betty wanted to remain awake in order to cherish this moment for as long as possible, but she could the long day tugging at her consciousness. Her last thought before succumbing to darkness once again was how perfectly Kate's body fit next to her own.

* * *

**Thank you so much for reading! Let me know how you feel about how this story is going!**


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do not own the show Bomb Girls nor any of its characters._

**I hope everyone is still enjoying this story! I apologize for the long wait but I just finished my first year of grad school and it kicked my butt. The finale just played here and I was inspired to continue. Enjoy!**

* * *

An overly bright strip of sunlight shown through the lone window in the room and fell directly across Kate's eyelids, disturbing her peaceful slumber. The darkness of sleep was beginning to lift as she began to gain consciousness.

Attempting to delay the inevitable, Kate buried her face into her… pillow? Whatever her cheek was resting on was much too firm and warm to be a pillow. She tried to open her eyes, only to be blinded by the bright sun. Squeezing her eyes shut tightly then squinting so they could adjust, eventually she was able to see what she was snuggling with.

Betty lay on her back and Kate was curled into her side, her body flush with the other woman's. Images from last night flooded her mind, as she remembered the eerily realistic nightmare that had plagued her in the middle of the night. She shivered as she remembered the feeling of her father's ice cold hands around her throat.

But Betty came running and had stayed with her all night.

Kate glanced up at the blonde woman and for some reason she didn't feel scared anymore of what these feelings were. Part of her brain was telling her that this was indecent and that laying with Betty this way was a sin. But… nothing about this felt wrong. Quite the opposite actually.

She felt safe and cared for as if this is where she was meant to be… those were things she had rarely experienced in her life. Now that she knew that it was possible to feel this way, it was getting harder to ignore how good it felt to be around Betty.

Kate allowed herself to take in the other woman's appearance while she slept peacefully. Blonde hair partially obscured Betty's features, but Kate didn't dare move in fear of waking her. Kate could still see the bruise that marred her delicate face was starting to fade, reminding her of what it had taken to get to this point.

Betty could always be counted on to rescue her, even when her demons were simply nightmares. Despite everything that had happened between them, Kate was still convinced that the blonde woman really was a hero. Nothing could ever change that.

From her place on Betty's shoulder, Kate could feel the steady rise and fall of the other woman's chest as she breathed. Turning her eyes up to the blonde's face once again, she could see her lips parted ever so slightly as she exhaled.

Her thoughts immediately flashed to that night all those months ago.

The guilt stung, causing a sharp pain her chest as she remembered her harsh words. How could she have called this woman disgusting? Kate was beginning to realize that if anyone was disgusting, it was herself. She had brought so much pain upon Betty and yet the other woman refused to let her suffer.

Her thoughts shifted to the actual kiss itself. Those lips had been so soft and gentle. Betty had been her first kiss, so she didn't have a whole lot to compare it to, but there was just something about it…

And the real kicker was that for the briefest of moments… she had kissed Betty back. Before her mind had turned back on, Kate had lost herself in the feeling of those lips on her own. That was the secret she had carried with her for months. It's what terrified her more than anything.

What did it mean? Was she really like that? For the past few months she had tried to convince herself that it had just been a knee jerk reaction and that it was just surprise that caused her to return the kiss. If she was completely honest with herself, Kate knew that's not what had happened…

The worst part was that she just couldn't ignore how incredibly right it had felt. As if…Betty was supposed to be the one kissing her. But, the moment was so brief that secretly she wanted it to happen again. Just to remember what it felt like.

Now that she was starting to allow herself to question everything she had learned about her faith, Kate was honestly wondering if this was all as wrong as she had originally thought.

There was one thing she was certain of: she was glad that Betty was her first real kiss.

Betty began to stir beneath her and she scooted away to give her some space while she woke up. She couldn't stop herself from watching the other woman slowly become aware of her surroundings. It was just so adorable… an adjective that probably had never been used to describe her before.

Light brown eyes fluttered open and almost immediately locked onto her own and she suddenly felt foolish for being caught staring. Betty didn't seem to mind as she continued to hold her gaze before speaking.

"G'morning. How'd you sleep?" Betty asked in a gravelly, morning voice and bringing a hand to her face in an attempt to rub the tiredness out of her eyes.

"Better. Thank you for staying," Kate wasn't sure if this was the right thing to say but it felt necessary. She truly was grateful for the blonde being next to her all night, allowing her to sleep peacefully.

"Glad to hear it," Betty sat up, sliding her legs over the side of the bed and glancing at Kate over her shoulder before continuing, "How do you feel about toast?"

For a moment Kate was confused before she remembered the loaf of bread and the couple other groceries Betty had bought while they were out shopping yesterday.

"I would love some toast," Kate replied, not really believing that the other woman was actually going to make breakfast for her. But Betty stood and raised her arms above her head, stretching to awaken her muscles.

Kate got that weird feeling her stomach again as Betty's pajama top rode up and exposed a thin strip of her flat stomach underneath.

She quickly averted her eyes, mentally berating herself for her indecent thoughts. But no matter what, she couldn't stop the tingle that had traveled through her body.

While she was lost in thought, she hardly noticed that Betty had vacated the room until the smell of food wafted into the bedroom.

She rolled out of bed and made her way to the small kitchen area to see Betty had indeed made toast and had set out butter on the table for both of them.

"Sorry we don't have any jam. I can go to the store again after our shift," Betty apologized gesturing to the plates on the table.

Kate's heart ached as she watched as the other woman pulled out a chair for her at the small breakfast table. Why was she so perfect? Why did things have to be this way?

"Something wrong? We can go out to the diner again if you don't want toast," Betty worried, turning her body to stand in front of her, but Kate quickly shook her head and held her hand up for her to stay.

"This is perfect…Thank you, Betty," Kate replied, choking down her mutinous emotions. It seemed like she was thanking the blonde woman an awful lot lately. Betty was doing everything in her power to make things easier for her and Kate was having a difficult time holding onto her old ideals.

"Are you okay?" Betty asked as she sat down across from Kate, gazing warily at her with those piercing brown eyes. She reached out and took Kate's hand gently into her own. She looked down at their joined hands and felt a itching in the back of her eyelids, as if they were threatening to water up. Looking away and composing herself, Kate knew that she couldn't go on like this much longer. Everything in her body was telling her that this thing she had with Betty was right, but there was so much she still didn't know.

"Just swell," Kate lied through her teeth and she knew Betty could see right through her.

* * *

The usual dread filled Betty as she and Kate made their way down the grassy hill towards Victory Munitions. Another day of torment awaited her inside that factory and she wasn't looking forward to it. The only thing that was making this work day better was the idea that Kate would be standing next to her the entire time.

All of sudden someone hooked their arm through hers, stepping between her and Kate. Betty was about to tell whoever it was to take a hike when she saw Gladys' smiling face next to her.

"Good morning, ladies," Gladys greeted happily, hooking her other arm with Kate's and escorting them to the gates.

"Hey, Princess," Betty greeted not looking up but instead searching her bag for her smokes.

"Hi, Gladys," Kate smiled in her usual genuine way. Betty gave up looking for a cigarette and instead listened to the two women talk.

"Happy to be back, Kate?" the brunette asked, once at the line to have their handbags checked, Gladys released them and turned expectantly to Kate.

"I'm thrilled to be back actually. Hopefully, I won't almost blow up the entire factory this time," the red head giggled at her joke, leaning past Gladys to give Betty a smirk.

Betty remembered that day well. She had been so close to tossing out Kate for dropping her amatol can, but those tears had stopped her. The truth was that something about those blue eyes tearing up had struck her.

"The girls will be so excited to have you back. Now that James is fighting we need more bombs than ever," Gladys replied as they reached the guard, who checked their handbags and let them through.

"Speak of the devil," Betty said, nodding her head towards the factory where Vera and Edith stood waiting for them. The two women had noticed them and had wide grins on their faces, waving enthusiastically at Kate.

They approached the two women and Kate was enveloped in a couple of welcome-back hugs asBetty tried to just watch from the sidelines.

"So, that's where you were yesterday…," Vera whispered, wriggling her eyebrows suggestively at Betty and she gave the other blonde a warning look, but Vera just smiled all-knowingly.

"Kate! We didn't think you'd be coming back!" Edith greeted the red head with a warm-motherly smile as she held Kate at arm's length to get a good look at her.

"Me either, but I realized that this is where I belong," Kate shrugged with a small smile, throwing Betty a quick glance before turning to Vera.

"Of course you belong here with us. Now that I'm up in the office, the line has been looking pretty pathetic," Vera teased, relishing the mock-offended looks she received in response to her statement.

"Let's go, ladies, those bombs aren't going to build themselves," Mrs. Corbett called out to them as she readied her clipboard to check everyone in.

Betty lined up alongside Kate and Gladys and tried to ignore the other women around them who didn't even bother hiding their staring. As they approached Mrs. Corbett, Kate seemed to have begun to notice that they were being watched and turned to look at her. Betty met her blue eyes, but quickly looked down when she felt something slide into her palm.

Kate had slipped her slender hand into her own and her heart swelled a little at the intimate gesture. All of these other women were staring at them and yet Kate was offering her hand in comfort. Part of Betty wanted to pull away to avoid any more gossip but her body refused to obey her. Instead, she squeezed the other woman's hand gently to show her appreciation.

Glancing up into Kate's eyes, she could see the other woman nod at her encouragingly. Betty gave her a small half-smile in return and tried to convey with her eyes how much this simple act meant to her.

They began walking past Mrs. Corbett when the older woman's voice made them pause halfway into the factory door.

"Welcome back, Ms. Andrews," was all Mrs. Corbett said, and Kate smiled happily back at her before stepping into the factory.

All of the women headed straight for the changing rooms, and as usual they gathered their uniforms and went to the farthest corner from Betty. She was used to it by now, but she could see Kate's eyes follow them in confusion.

"What are they doing?" the red head asked, turning to look back at her. As much as Kate had learned about the big bad world during the time she worked here, sometimes her naïveté still surprised Betty.

"They don't want to change near me…you should go with them. They'll be talking about you too if you don't," she told Kate, turning to her own locker and preparing to change. Her heart clenched at the thought of the other woman being afraid to change in front of her, but she would understand after everything that had happened between them.

When she didn't sense any movement to her right, Betty stole a glace to the woman beside her. Kate stood her ground and simply smiled at her while grabbing a fresh uniform off the shelf of her locker.

"My locker is here, so this is where I'm going to change," Kate told her simply while she began unbuttoning her dress. Betty looked away immediately, but she couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. Gladys appeared to her left and nodded in Kate's direction with a smile of her own. The brunette knew the significance of Kate's show of solidarity to Betty.

While everyone was changing, Betty kept her eyes steadfastly forward because she didn't want to give the other women any more reason to talk. Once they were finished they made their way onto the floor and smoothly switched with the green shift workers.

Betty immediately focused on the task at hand, cleaning out shell casings and filling them with TNT.

* * *

Being back at Vic Mu felt great, but things had definitely changed while she had been away. She and Betty were still on the line, packing TNT into the shells and Kate couldn't help but notice the nasty looks the blonde woman was attracting from the other workers. These were women that used to look up to Betty and respected her and now they were avoiding her like the plague.

She had no idea that it was this bad. Leon had told her at Tangiers last night that Betty was having it rough at the factory but she couldn't imagine all of her friends abandoning her like this.

_Abandoning her like you did_…this thought entered her brain against her will, but she couldn't deny the ring of truth to it.

Shaking these thoughts from her head, Kate tried her best to pay attention to the task at hand. She was only working for a few more moments when Mrs. Corbett's voice filled her ears.

"Break time, ladies," Mrs. Corbett called to them and Kate sighed in relief. Her mind kept wandering and she was afraid that if she didn't watch out she was going to make a serious mistake.

Betty removed her gloves and stuffed them in her pockets before turning to her.

"You coming?" Betty asked with an expectant look and Kate nodded quickly, following her into the canteen. Once they had gotten their food, she and Betty found a seat with Gladys, Edith, and Vera. Leon was seated at the table directly behind them but Kate couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.

"So, Kate, what have you been up to the last couple of months?" Edith's question startled Kate for a moment and she fumbled for words. She should have known that some of the girls would ask her questions, but she truly hadn't given it any thought. Now, she had no idea how to answer.

It was just a polite inquiry but Kate had no desire to reveal her previous life to her friends. She really just wanted to put her past behind her for once and for all and move forward as Kate Andrews.

"I-uh- I was-," Kate stuttered, wracking her brain for something to say, but the question had just caught her so off guard.

"She was just visiting family, weren't you Kate?" Betty's voice cut off her sputtering and Kate couldn't have been more grateful of the blonde's quick thinking. It wasn't really a lie either… it just omitted certain difficult parts of the story.

"Yes! I was visiting my brothers and… my father," Kate verified quickly, smiling nervously at the women around her. A part of her knew that they probably suspected something was not quite right but thankfully they didn't push the subject. Gladys deemed it a great time to shift the topic of conversation to the soldier she danced with last night at the Tangiers.

As the conversation continued Kate didn't really contribute much; she enjoyed being back but the other women's stares were starting to get to her. She had no idea how Betty put up with this everyday. There is no way anyone would choose such a difficult life. A hand on her shoulder pulled her out of her thoughts and Kate turned to see Betty's worried brown eyes staring back at her.

She was about to say something to Betty but Mrs. Corbett's voice beat her to it,

"All right, ladies, break's up."

Almost as one, all of the women in the canteen stood and began taking their trays to the trash cans. Kate was distracted but followed the other women to clear her tray. She didn't notice Donald approaching until his greasy head appeared next to Betty.

"Hey, freak, looks like your lady friend came back for you. How sweet," Donald said loudly enough that the other workers around could hear what he was saying. Kate watched as Betty froze in her place for a moment before she squared her shoulders and turned to him.

"Leave Kate out of it," Betty growled at the vile man, setting her tray on a nearby table as if she was preparing for a fight.

"Oh, don't worry. I can straighten you both out. We can meet in our usual spot, Kate," Donald's oily voice caused a cold shiver to run up her spine. All she could think of was what he almost did to her in the store room all of those months ago.

Betty looked like she was about to punch him in the mouth, but Kate beat her to it. Instead of punching Donald in the face though, she shoved her tray square into his chest, smearing his white jumpsuit with her leftovers.

At first the canteen was silent, but after a moment the entire room filled with the laughter of the bomb girls.

Donald looked down at his clothes, holding his hands away from his body in disgust. Then he looked up slowly at her in disbelief before his face turned red with rage. Leon stepped up beside Kate, daring him to retaliate. Sensing this battle was lost, Donald headed towards the restrooms, presumably to clean himself up.

"Come on girls, back to work," Mrs. Corbett's voice behind her couldn't have been more welcome. Kate glanced up at Leon and smiled at him appreciatively which he returned with a nod before exiting the canteen without a word. She and Betty quickly made their way out of the canteen as well before Mrs. Corbett started asking questions.

They quickly took their places back on the line along with the other girls. Kate grabbed her amatol can before stealing a conspiratorial glance at Betty beside her. They both broke into wide grins thinking of the ridiculous look on Donald's face.

* * *

**Once again, sorry for the long delay! I hope some of you are still reading. Let me know what you think! **


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I do not own the show Bomb Girls nor any of its characters._

* * *

After shift, some of the girls decided to head out to the Jewel Box and Kate wanted to go out for a while and listen to some good music so Betty agreed to go with her. By the time they arrived, the night was already in full swing and so many couples were up dancing that it was easy to find a vacant table.

Just as she and Kate had gotten comfortable in their seats, Gladys practically dropped into the chair beside Betty. Apparently, she had already been dancing with some soldiers judging by how out of breath she was.

"You made it!" the wealthy woman exclaimed excitedly, taking a huge gulp of a drink that just happened to be on the table. Betty glanced to her other side and watched as Kate smiled politely at both of them. The red headed woman seemed distracted and Betty had a feeling that the incident with Donald had bothered her more than she wanted to let on.

"Yea, we figured we'd make an appearance," Betty replied with her usual swagger while lighting up a cigarette. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Kate glancing around, as if she was searching the crowd for someone in particular.

"The girls can't stop talking about how you handled Donald today, Kate," Gladys informed the auburn haired woman with a giggle. Kate turned at the sound of her name and gave the other woman a half-hearted smile in response.

"He deserved what he got for his crass talk," she told the wealthy woman simply, before continuing her visual search of the club. Betty watched the short interaction between the two women before addressing Kate.

"You all right?" she asked quietly. It's not really what she wanted to ask but it didn't seem appropriate to ask her if she was looking for Donald in the crowd while Gladys was standing there. The wealthy woman didn't know that Donald had almost raped her before and Betty was going to keep it that way.

"Mhmm," Kate mumbled in response, still looking around anxiously. A soldier approached the table and swept Gladys onto the dance floor, once again leaving Betty and Kate alone at the table.

"You sure you're all right? Do you want a drink or anything?" Betty asked, gently placing her hand on Kate's arm to get her attention. Blue eyes met her brown ones and for a moment Betty forgot that they were in a club full of people. Kate was so beautiful with her auburn curls falling freely against the pale skin of her cheek. She wanted nothing more than to run her fingers through it.

"I'll get us some drinks," Kate's voice brought her back to reality and the red head practically leaped from the table and headed straight to the bar.

Betty followed the other woman with her eyes and saw what was going on. Kate had spotted Leon at the bar and wanted to speak with him. She figured it must have had something to do with what happened at Tangiers last night.

She couldn't deny the tiny pang of jealousy she felt as she watched them together. Her brain knew that there was nothing there, but she couldn't stop the ache in her heart when she saw Kate with him.

* * *

"Leon!" Kate called to the large man at the bar as she approached. She had been hoping to see him here and now that she had found him she wasn't sure what to say.

"Hey there, Church Mouse. Feeling better now that you've made Donald look like a fool?" Leon asked as the bartender brought him his drink. He gave her an all-knowing smirk as he sipped his gin, waiting for her to respond.

Kate smiled at his joke and nodded before asking the bartender for two lime cordials. Leon had a way of making her feel guilty and like everything was okay all at the same time. It was definitely an odd talent he had.

"I do feel better actually…," Kate replied, but there were still other things she needed to say so she continued after taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry about last night. You're right…about everything," she told him, grateful when the bartender brought her drinks over so she wouldn't have to look Leon in the eyes.

"I wouldn't say I'm right about everything, but every once in a while I know what I'm talking about," he teased, rewarding her with a wide grin. Tilting his bald head to the side, he nodded in the direction of her and Betty's table.

"There is one thing I am definitely right about… that girl would do anything for you," Leon told her, taking a long sip from his glass. Kate looked over at Betty before turning back to the man in front of her.

"I know… I had no idea how bad it was at the factory for her," she said mostly to herself as she gazed down at their drinks.

"Yep, after today I think the girls may ease up though. Nobody likes Donald and you two really showed him," Leon smirked at the memory before turning serious again.

"Leon… I don't know what to do," Kate sighed, bringing a shaky hand to her forehead. Her mind was swirling with everything that had happened in the last couple of days. It was as if everything she had ever learned was lie and now, she didn't know what to believe anymore.

"Well, what do you want to do?" he told her, his dark eyes piercing straight through her. This question struck her and she didn't really know what to say for a moment. No one had really ever asked her that question before; ever since she was a little girl her father was telling her what she could and couldn't do. Only now was she starting to realize that she was free to do what she truly wanted.

"I…I really like Betty… but the Bible-," she said just above a whisper, lifting her eyes to finally meet Leon's.

"The Bible says a lot of things, Kate. You're not going to find God's answers in some old book," Leon told her with a warm smile as he picked up his drink and took a sip.

Once again, Kate was unsure of how to respond to the man beside her so she remained silent, lost in thought before bidding him farewell and heading back to her table with the drinks.

Betty gave her a half-smile as she approached and Kate returned it, handing the other woman one of the lime cordials.

"Thanks. Everything good between you and Leon?" Betty asked attempting to sound off-hand but Kate could hear something in her voice.

"Yea, just needed to get some advice," Kate told her simply while she sipped her drink.

"Hmm," Betty replied before addressing her again, "I'm going to head out. I already talked to Gladys and she's going to drive you back to the apartment. I won't be back until late."

She glanced up quickly and met Betty's deep brown eyes, trying to understand what she had just said. Betty was going to leave? Where was she going to go?

"Oh okay. Is everything all right?" Kate asked, wanting to get some more information, but Betty didn't seem like she was going to reveal anything. She took heart in hearing that she was going to return tonight but that didn't stop her curiosity.

"Yea, I just need to take care of something. I'll see you back at the apartment," Betty told her before finishing off her lime cordial and standing up to leave.

Kate followed Betty's retreating back with her eyes until she lost her blonde head in the crowd.

* * *

Betty pulled up the collar of the coat Gladys had leant her while holding her hand out into the road. After waiting a few moments a taxi pulled up in front of her and she slid into the back seat.

She gave the driver the address and leaned back in the seat, preparing herself for the long trip. Her mind drifted to the task before her as she gazed out of the window.

She had made the decision almost as soon as Kate had told her about potentially going back to the trailer to get her things. There was no way she was going to allow Kate to go back to that awful place, so Betty had made a promise to herself that she would do it for her.

Not a lot of planning went into this trip, but Betty did figure that Vernon Rowley would probably be out doing his street preaching around this time. At least that's what she was hoping for.

In what seemed like only mere moments but what must have been over an hour, the driver pulled up a block away from the trailer. Betty glanced around before addressing the driver,

"Leave the engine running. I won't be long."

With that Betty exited the vehicle and surveyed the area around the trailer cautiously. It wasn't too late but it was dark out and the windows in the trailer weren't on. Taking a few slow steps forward, she approached the door and tested the handle hesitantly.

It seemed that the street preacher wasn't in the habit of locking the door to the trailer because, once again, it swung open with the lightest of pulls and Betty stuck her head in, glancing around and straining her ears for any sounds. Not hearing or seeing anything, she deemed it safe to enter. Taking one last glance outside, Betty stepped into the trailer and took stock of her surroundings.

When she had been here to get Kate she hadn't had a chance to really look around and now that she could it made her feel even more anger towards Vernon Rowley. The trailer was small and the idea of five people living in this small space seemed impossible. The one upside is that it made it easy for Betty to find the things she was looking for despite the darkness.

In a room she recognized as the one she had found Vernon beating his daughter in, Betty found Kate's Bible. She pushed the memory of that night from her mind and shoved the book into her bag. Going through a small dresser, Betty packed up as much clothes as she could and searched the room for the money that Kate had mentioned. It didn't take long to find it tucked away on a shelf in a tiny closet.

Just as she was about to leave her eyes caught sight of something on the floor and she reached down to pick it up. It was the hair comb she had given to Kate all of those months ago.

She had gotten it for the red head when she had seen how much Kate had wanted it at Tangiers. When she had given this to Kate she had loved the way her eyes lit up and the warm hug that had followed. Betty had already known at that time how she felt about the other woman, but her naiveté had convinced her that Kate might actually return her affection.

Pushing these thoughts out of her mind, Betty turned to leave when she heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs of the trailer. Shoving the hair comb into her bag, Betty scanned the room for an escape and noticed the small window over the bed.

Not having a moment to think of another option, Betty hopped onto the bed and frantically tried to pry it open but it was jammed.

The footsteps were getting louder and panic was definitely starting to set in. She had no doubt that the preacher would render the same punishment on her that he did on his daughter. As much as she wanted to sock him in the face, avoiding confrontation was optimal. She also wouldn't be too thrilled about calling Gladys for bail if he called the police.

Finally, the window gave and she was able to slide it open. It was a little high up and narrow so she threw her bag out the window first and was just hoisting herself up when she heard the footsteps right outside the door. Knowing it was going to hurt, Betty threw herself through the window as the door began to open.

Landing with a crash on the hard asphalt, Betty felt the grit from the street cutting into her hands and knees. Not wanting to hang around, she dragged herself up from the ground, grabbed her bag, and sprinted down the block towards the taxi.

* * *

Gladys had taken Kate back to James' apartment as she had promised but left almost immediately to get back to her parents' house. If she was honest, Kate was kind of afraid of being by herself still, but she felt awkward asking Gladys to stay with her.

Now that she was all alone in the apartment her mind kept wandering to her conversation with Leon. She had read the Bible herself and knew a lot of it by heart, but when she actually thought about it, she had let her father do the interpreting for her. Most of what she read hadn't made sense to her, but she couldn't quite convince herself that it meant nothing.

Could she still believe in God without adhering completely to the gospel? She honestly didn't know, but Leon had, once again, given her a lot to think about.

She wished that Betty was there…

Almost as soon as this thought crossed her mind someone knocked on the door. The sound startled for a moment and her heart began to race, but she stood up to see who it was.

Looking out the peep hole, Kate saw exactly who she had been hoping to see. She swung open the door to let Betty in and smiled happily at her before she noticed the blood on the blonde woman's hands and knees.

"Betty!" was all she could manage at the sight of the other woman.

Quickly closing the door behind Betty, Kate gently took hold of the other woman's elbow and led her to the couch. Without a word, she found the ointment and bandages that Gladys had brought for her back and ran a towel under warm water and returned to Betty. The other woman was leaning back against the couch with her eyes closed and Kate just watched her for a second.

It was obvious that Betty was exhausted but Kate couldn't deny how gorgeous she looked leaning against the cushions. Her chest rose and fell heavily in an attempt to steady her breathing. Not knowing what else to do, Kate slowly approached Betty before kneeling on the carpet in front of her.

"Betty… what happened?" Kate asked, timidly pressing the towel to the strawberry on the other woman's knee. Betty didn't protest and allowed Kate to clean the wounds, simply watching her work.

"I went to your trailer…," Betty told her with a small smile on her face, her blue eyes meeting Kate's.

"What?! Betty!… you shouldn't have done that…," Kate could hardly believe what she had heard. What had Betty been thinking? How could she be so reckless? Shaking her head and taking a calming breath, she had to look away from the other woman and instead focused on bandaging her knees. Once she had finished that Kate lifted herself up from the floor and sat next to Betty on the couch. She pulled the blonde woman's hands into her lap and began cleaning the wounds there as well, still trying to comprehend what Betty had just told her.

"I got some of your things. They're in the bag," Betty told her and Kate could feel the woman's eyes watching her every move. Instead of looking through the bag, Kate continued to tenderly clean Betty's wounds, still trying to collect her thoughts. Pausing for a moment, she looked up into those eyes, a thought coming to her.

"Did… did my father do this to you?" she felt like she had to ask this question. A sharp pain stabbed her in the chest at the thought of her father hurting Betty. It seemed like ever since she had come into Betty's life all Kate did was cause the blonde woman pain and suffering.

"Nah, I jumped out of your window though," Betty told her with a short laugh followed by a smirk. As frustrated as she was with the other woman, Kate couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her throat as she finished up the bandages.

"I think I got most of your clothes," Betty continued reaching for the bag and handing it to her now that her hands were free. At first Kate was hesitant but soon her curiosity got the better of her and she opened it up.

Inside she found her clothes and the money she had told Betty about as well as her mother's Bible. Kate's heart warmed that Betty remembered the Bible despite all of the hurt her faith had caused her. She was about to thank Betty when her hand landed on something smooth. Wrapping her hand around it, she realized almost immediately what it was: her hair comb.

Kate pulled it out of the bag and simply stared at it, dumbfounded for a moment or two. She could feel Betty watching her reaction, but she hardly noticed, too overcome with emotion.

Wordlessly, Betty took the hair comb from her hand and reached up, gently sliding it into Kate's auburn curls. Her heart began to race at the gesture and she had no idea what to do.

Instead of removing her hand, the blonde woman brought it to rest against Kate's cheek. She could feel the roughness of the bandage in sharp contrast to the soft skin of Betty's fingers and she allowed herself to relish the touch. Her eyelids slid closed and she could feel those familiar emotions coming back to haunt her.

Why did it have to be this way? This was a question she had been asking herself a lot lately but she was no closer to an answer. It was apparent that she could no longer ignore the feelings she had for the blonde woman in front of her.

There was no doubt that she cared for Betty much more than a friend…but her brain was telling her that this was not what normal people did. Normal girls didn't fall in love with their best friends.

The aching in her chest was becoming unbearable and Kate could feel the burning behind her eyelids as tears welled up against her will. She felt one single tear streak down her face leaving a wet trail down her cheek. Everything that had happened in the last few months was starting to pile up inside of her and she didn't think she was going to be able to handle it any longer. She was afraid if she opened her eyes that she would completely break down and be unable to pull herself back together.

Another sensation surprised her a moment later; Kate could feel Betty tenderly wiping her tears away with her thumb. This only made it harder to hold back the tidal wave of feelings she was experiencing.

Taking a calming breath, Kate made a decision… It was her turn to be the brave one.

Letting her eyelids slide open, Kate gazed straight into Betty's brown eyes and took the hand cradling her face. She held the wounded hand gently in her lap between both of her own.

Kate saw Betty look down at their joined hands and then glance back up at her searching her eyes. Her mind immediately went blank and she was no longer in control of her body.

Kate leaned forward and pressed her lips against Betty's.

She had never initiated a kiss before so she had no idea what she was doing, but her brain had long shut off. All she was aware of was the feeling of Betty's soft lips against hers which returned the kiss fervently.

Unaware of what she was doing, Kate's hand slid up Betty's arm, her fingers running up the woman's shoulder and coming to rest on her neck, never once breaking the kiss.

After what felt like hours, but was only seconds Betty slowly broke the kiss and pulled back to look into her eyes. Kate stared back at her, allowing her brain a chance to catch up, before letting her hand fall back into her lap.

* * *

Betty immediately missed the feeling of Kate's hand on her neck, almost as much as she missed the feeling of her lips on her own. Had that really just happened? This had to be some cruel dream that she was going to wake up from, but… it wasn't.

She took a shaky breath and looked down at her hands. Thankfully, Kate was the first one to break the uncomfortable silence that had descended upon them.

"I…I really care about you, Betty…," Kate's soft voice, caused her to look up hopefully. The auburn haired singer was obviously battling some internal demons, her brow crinkled in distress. Betty offered her what solace she could by covering Kate's hand with her own bandaged one. Steeling her courage, Betty decided that she had to be honest with the other woman.

"I love you, Kate," she practically blurted out. She had said that to Kate before as she left with her father. She guessed she was just a glutton for punishment. No matter how many times Kate pushed her away, she just couldn't let go.

"I… I never wanted this," Kate whispered brokenly. Betty was reminded of Kate's same words as she left with her father all those months ago. She could feel her chest tightening and the pain was beginning to choke her once again.

"But before I met you I was always told what I was supposed to want…," Kate struggled for words, obviously torn inside, but she probably had no idea that those simple words gave her the tiniest ray of hope.

"Now that I'm free…I realize that what I really want… is to be with you, Betty," Kate finished. Her ice blue eyes stared straight into Betty's soul and she had a hard time believing what she had just heard. Kate wanted to be with her...

Unable to form coherent words, Betty pressed her lips to Kate's bringing both her hands up to cradle the other woman's head. Kate returned the gentle kiss and Betty was certain that she had never felt happier in her life.

Betty only pulled away long enough to wrap her arms around Kate in a tight embrace. Burying her face into the auburn curls, she relished every sensation, memorizing every detail of this moment.

Eventually they pulled away from one another and got ready for bed. Betty was unsure if it would be appropriate to sleep in the bed with Kate now that they had kissed. The last thing she wanted to do was make the other woman uncomfortable, but Kate took her hand and led her to the bedroom anyway. As soon as they had both laid down, Kate curled into her side once again, resting her cheek on Betty's shoulder.

Long after Kate had fallen asleep, Betty lay awake thinking of Kate's words and what the future might hold for both of them. After a while she slowly drifted asleep with a wide smile on her face.

* * *

**Thank you all so much for sticking with me! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think!**


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